The 2011 Gordon Conference on Microbial Adhesion and Signal Transduction will attract a diverse group of speakers with interests and research programs spanning the most fundamental and actively investigated topics in current microbial pathogenesis. Themes covered in the conference include (but are not limited to) bacterial-bacterial interactions and communication in complex consortia, bacterial and fungal interactions (both symbiotic and pathogenic) with human, animal and plant hosts in commensalism and disease, gene regulation and regulatory networks, cell signaling and information processing, cell structures and assembly, cell biology, and microbial evolution. A central goal of this conference is an in depth examination of selected examples of well studied model microbial systems in the areas mentioned. However, newly discovered and less well studied microbial systems will be highlighted. The invited speakers represent a variety of scientific disciplines and include geneticists, biochemists, immunologists, cell biologists, animal and plant physiologists, chemists, theoreticians, engineers, physicists, and computer scientists. This diversity, coupled with the intimate setting provided by the GRC, makes an ideal venue for interaction between scientists trained in widely different fields and serves to promote interdisciplinary collaborations. This proposal requests NIH support to partially cover the travel and registration fees of speakers, discussion leaders, and participants. This support is critical to attracting the best possible attendees to this premier, longstanding conference. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: This conference grant proposal seeks NIH support for the 2011 Gordon Conference on Microbial Adhesion and Signal Transduction. This meeting will attract a diverse group of speakers with interests and research programs spanning the most fundamental and actively investigated topics in current microbiology. NIH support is critical to attracting the best possible attendees to this premier, longstanding conference.